Running surveys in Testmode

Running a survey in Testmode allows you to review background system variables, hidden questions, and survey questions on screen as they are set while running the survey. Additionally, you quickly test screening questions, being allowed to use the back button to change answers, as well as test multiple paths at once by cloning and "branching out" test records. These tools appear in a panel on the left side of the screen of each page.

Testmode is useful for a few reasons:

• Background variable values are shown in the Testmode Toolbar; so, you can simultaneously ensure data is being captured in the background while testing the questions on screen.
• The survey displays all question numbers, back buttons, and other controls to allow for easy navigation of the survey.
• The data generated from Testmode is ignored in the reports when the survey stage is Live.
• Testers may also view survey source while testing respondent-facing questions, allowing the tester to review the code while verifying it functions as intended.

Opening the survey in Testmode

To run the survey in Testmode, expand the Survey button group in the Survey Navigation menu and select either the Run or Test buttons. The Run button allows the user to test in Testmode 1, and the Test button allows the user to test in Testmode 2. The different Testmode levels will be covered in more detail below.

Depending on the user's system role, users may be able to see both "Dev" (in development) and "Pub" (published) versions of a survey (for Survey Creators+), or only Pub versions. 

Test links may also be accessed via the Survey Info applet. Like the Run | Test buttons, only internal users (Survey Creators+) can see Dev links here. Click the lightning bolt icon under the Go to column for the desired Testmode, and a new browser window will open with a copy of the survey.

Testing with a respondent ID

To specify a respondent ID for the test record, click the down-facing arrow to the right side of the Run | Test button, and specify the ID in the text field. Then, select either Run or Test. The Testmode screen will open in another browser window.

Testmode URLs are formatted as: 

• For Test links (Dev or Pub) - https://www.domain.com/test/pub-or-dev/surveyid/respondentid
• For Run links (Dev or Pub) - https://www.domain.com/pub-or-dev/surveyid/respondentid?_test=1

The URL components are as follows:

Testmode levels 

Testmode has multiple tiers which have distinct characteristics to help different parties test the survey during the entire life-cycle of the project. Data generated by running surveys in any Testmode does not appear in reports when the survey stage is Live.

Reminder, all Testmode links can be found in the Survey Info applet. Additionally, you can create a test link by appending the '_test' parameter to any survey URL, followed by an '=' (equal sign), and the Testmode value needed (e.g., '1', '1.1', etc.). 

For more information on passing in parameters, see URL parameters.

Testmode 1

Testmode 1 indicates a regular test record. It is what the survey looks like to actual respondents. Question numbers are hidden, and there are no additional UI elements/tools. Anybody can access this view of the survey, even without a user account. These records also carry an incremental TEST1xxxx ID. 

Regular Testmode 1 can be ran by:

• clicking Run under the Survey Navigation menu or
• following an entry link with the URL ending in '_test=1'.

Testmode 1.1

Testmode 1.1 is identical to Testmode 1, except question numbers appear. This is useful for soliciting survey feedback from stakeholders without user accounts, since they will be able to reference question numbers in feedback. These records also carry an incremental TEST1-1xxxx ID. 

A record can launch this Testmode by following an entry link with the URL ending in '_test=1.1'.

Testmode 2

Testmode 2 indicates the record was run in advanced Testmode and can use the Testmode Toolbar. There are special tools that accompany this mode, and it is only available to users with an account to access the platform. These records also carry an incremental TEST2xxxx ID.

Advanced Testmode 2 can be ran by:

• clicking Test under the Survey Navigation menu,
• following an entry link with the URL ending in '_test=2', or
• following a '/test/' URL (as shown in the previous table). 

Testmode 3

Testmode 3 indicates a record has been reclassified as a "manual test record" via the Classify as Tests applet. 

Testmode 4

Testmode 4 indicates a record was generated in the Dummy Data applet.

Testmode 0

If there is a value of '0' in the testmode variable, that record was from a live link. These records will appear in data in both the QA and Live stages, regardless of when the record was generated. 

Testmode data 

Testmode data is the data generated by survey records where the testmode variable is punched 1, 1.1, 2, or 4. In the testing phase of a survey, it is useful for test records to appear in survey reports. This helps ensure the survey is programmed to the designer's specifications, that no errors exist, and that quota structures are correctly implemented. Naturally, such data should be discarded once the survey stage is set to Live. IntelliSurvey automatically hides all test data when the survey stage is Live. The test data still exists, but it is not visible in reports unless an explicit filter is used.

Viewing test data in reports

Use the following data cut expressions to view Testmode data when the survey is Live.

To view all Testmode data, including Dummy Data, use the expression:

$testmode > 0

To view all Testmode data, excluding Dummy Data, use the expression:

$testmode > 0 and $testmode < 4

Displaying content based on 'testmode'

Conditions may also be placed on the testmode variable in the source code so that text, questions, and blocks will only be displayed if the testmode variable is punched 1, 1.1, 2, or 4.

Show text

The following will allow testers to be shown a message that will only appear during testing.

startgroup: TEST
condition: $testmode > 0

This text displays to testers.

endgroup: TEST

Show question

Using a showif tag that applies a condition to the testmode variable will allow only testers to see a question.

CONCEPT. Concept selector - for testing only
type: radio
optsfrom: system.1to5 {text: Concept [id]}
showif: $testmode > 0

Testmode Toolbar

The Testmode Toolbar is a suite of tools which assist in survey testing. To access the Testmode Toolbar, run the survey in Testmode 2. The toolbar is docked to the left side of the page, and displays the survey's name at the top.

If need be, the toolbar can be minimized by clicking the Minimize Testmode Menu button. To expand the Testmode Toolbar back to "full size," click the button a second time.

                               Full Sized                                                                           Minimized

When the toolbar is minimized, if there any notes testers should be aware of on a given survey page, the NOTES segment will appear at the bottom of the toolbar. A numbered icon will appear, indicating the number of notes on that page. The icon will appear red if there is termination logic on the page as shown above, and green for all other logic as shown below. If no notes are available for the page, the NOTES segment will be hidden. For more on notes, see below.

Toolbar feature overview

The following elements are included in the Testmode Toolbar.

Basic test record information

Testmode search menu

The Testmode search menu provides keyword searchability and a pulldown menu of every survey page and its contents. The pages are listed in order, and below the page number will be displayed the following information when applicable:

• the question/variable ID in parentheses (e.g., T1); if multiple questions or variables are contained on a single page, they will be shown in a comma-separated list (e.g., Q1, Q2, Q3);
• any freetext or the question text;
• any condition logic (shown in gray italics).

If the question or variable is not displayed to respondents then it will show "*Hidden*" next to the page number.

To use the keyword search functionality of the Testmode search menu, either click in the search field, or press Ctrl + / to activate it. The search menu will look for any question/variable numbers or text that matches the entry, including condition logic (e.g., "showif" is a searchable term).

To go to the desired page, click on the matching entry.

Items without shortcut keys

Buttons with shortcut keys

Buttons without shortcut keys

Data Quickview

The Data Quickview feature allows testers to open a modal to view a table of all populated record data associated with the current respondent record. The All Record Data interactive table includes data from various survey chapters such as survey fields, system fields, device data, and record data. Like other tables in the IntelliSurvey platform, users may sort by each column to reorganize the data as desired. 

The All Record Data table automatically hides system fields, but users can view these fields and their results by clicking the Show System Fields button. To re-hide all system fields, either click the Show System Fields a second time or click the Reset button to the left. Users may also use Alt+R as a shortcut to toggle the display of system fields.

Testers may keyword search the All Record Data table by typing in the Search text field in the upper-right hand corner of the table. Any cells that match the inputted text will be displayed, with the total number of matching entries listed at the bottom of the table. To clear the search term, either click the X in the right hand corner of the search field or delete the text manually.

Testers with the appropriate survey permissions may also edit the existing respondent results by clicking the pencil icon in the Edit column. This allows the cell for a given field in the Current Value column to become editable. Rows that do not display the pencil icon in the Edit column are not editable. Click the save icon to exit the edit mode.

Checkbox (multi-select) questions and tables will display a count of the number of selected options out of the total available. In the case of tables, the number checked will be listed per question-row (or question-column in the case of vertical scale, a.k.a., "vscale" tables).

View Survey Source 

The View Survey Source button allows testers to view the source code related to the question(s) displayed on a given survey page. This tool is especially helpful for verifying that questions are shown to the respondent as intended, and provides a secondary means to proofreading source code. Simply click the View Survey Source button to display or hide the source code for a question.

If multiple questions are displayed on the same survey page, the code for each question will be shown below its corresponding question. 

Compilation errors

If the survey was compiled with issues, any Cautions, Warnings, or Errors will be indicated on a survey page in one of two ways. First, the View Survey Source button will have a red bubble with a number on it, where the number indicates the number of questions or variables with issues for that specific page. Second, the survey page will have an issue icon - WARN, CAUTION, or ERROR - indicating the type of issue for the question (or page).

Clicking on either the issue icon or the View Survey Source button will display a code block for the question(s). The line causing the issue will be highlighted in white, and will include the issue-type icon and the message from the compilation issue (e.g., "Unrecognized line"). Clicking on either the issue icon or the View Survey Source button will hide the source code.

If multiple questions are displayed on a single page, parse issue icons will be shown after/below the question to which the issue pertains. If a question has either an ERROR or multiple issues that prevent the question from rendering, the source code for that issue will be displayed on the page regardless of whether View Survey Source has been activated.